2034 and the Hotel of the Future: What Will It Look Like?

Hospitality Technology's 2019 Lodging Technology study¹ predicts that by 2020, 85% of relationships with businesses will not require human interaction and hotels are seeking ways to become more customized and convenient for their guests. Experts told Guestline, who commissioned the project, that AI (Artificial Intelligence) and voice control would be one of the most prominent game changers in how guests experience a hotel stay.

“Soon there will be screens that welcome you by name when you approach them in the hotel lobby by using data from your mobile phones which already exists – registered through the hotels Wi-Fi. Once you’re there it will be an automatic check-in process through facial recognition and your room key will be digitally downloaded to your mobile phone,” says Ralph Fernando, Director of Strategy, Digital & Operations at Pragma.

The Digitalization of Glass

Glass is the next big thing; its minimalist allure creates a sleek concept for technology to intertwine digitalization with design. Glass televisions are already being prototyped by the likes of Panasonic whilst we see planes of glass acting as entire walls.

Watch a sea view or go opaque with glass privacy walls

Glass walls can be attractive but used to offer little privacy. Now we have the ability to turn glass walls opaque or even add or change the imagery on the glass, making it the ultimate personalized experience.

According to Pragma's Fernando, guests will likely be able to use a mobile app via an in-room tablet or even voice control via in-room devices to make privacy glass in hotel guest rooms either transparent or opaque. Additionally, the glass can be personalized to display the guest's preferred décor, whether that be a specific style and color or a calming video of a beach or a sunrise.

Artificial Intelligence and Voice Controlled Functions

The future is where AI and personal service will compete but also complement each other. Ordering a bottle of water from the in-room menu will no longer require a call down to reception, but a simple “Hello” to the i-concierge built into your room.

“Our phones will sync immediately with the in-room technology, for uninterrupted, comfortable and seamless facetiming/television/streaming and viewing," said Owner & Director of Eccelston Square Hotel Olivia Byrne. "Guests will use dining apps available through the hotel property to seamlessly order exactly what they want, when they want it. Voice assistants like Siri or Alexa will lose THEIR identities, instead their universally available knowledge will be integrated into our own personalized i-personality/bitmoji. i-assistants will be a comforting extension to our own knowledge. Interfacing will be highly personalized, but less personal.”

Artificially Intelligent Room Controls

No more will we need to draw the blinds, call down to order room service or ask for extra towels. Soon you’ll just chat with your in-room i-concierge who can even memorize what time to flick the light switch so you can grab some shut-eye.

“Over the next 15 years voice technology will act as the control hub as it is very personal and hotel rooms are a good opportunity to get the guest to interact with AI to build a better profile of their preferences," believes Operations Director Duncan Anderson at City Suites.

Fernando from Pragma agrees.

“Guests will have the ability to cast lighting levels, room temperature and music levels all through either AI or their digital pads on the wall," he says. "We already know this exists in some hotels; however the technology is quite basic and we imagine that over the foreseeable future that control for the guests will become more personalized - such as sunrise/set lighting, audio that can produce a selection of noises to help you sleep and aromas to facilitate better sleeping.”

Showers that find your ideal temperature at a touch of a finger

Expect to find digital technology boards which can detect the optimal shower temperature from your body using just the heat levels from the touch of a finger.  

“Technology has quickly provided us with the ability to access things with touch and fingerprint recognition, using our DNA to make payments, access rooms, start our car and sign into work. Digital showers are already on the market, however moving forward we expect to find digital technology boards which can detect the optimal shower temperature for your body by using the heat levels from the touch of a finger,” says Sara Canatario, Product Marketing Manager at Guestline
 

Everything will be Wireless

Jo Littlefair, Co-founder and Director of Goddard Littlefair shares her thoughts on a ‘wireless hotel’ where keeping minimalism at the forefront when designing a hotel room will be important. Having previously designed rooms for The Principal, The Hilton, Intercontinental and Corinthia Hotels, she feels it is essential that luxury be blended with sleek technology.

“Plugs and sockets will probably disappear completely. The trend will continue towards hidden or invisible technology, with the provision that medical research on the effects of wireless connection hasn’t come up with anything negative in the interim. The interface and balance between wellbeing and technology will be key," Littlefair notes.

Glass TVs will know you’re favorite TV shows and films

Glass TVs are already being prototyped by the likes of Panasonic, and with the allure of minimalism trending within interior design and guests demanding personalization, we can expect to find all our favorite films and shows appearing to us on the screen when checking-in.

“We won’t have wiring systems everything will be Wi-Fi enabled and will use voice control technologies. It should all be enabled and hooked up, things such as TV’s won’t need to have plugs in the back of them so you can install them anywhere in the room,” says co-founder & CEO of Humanize Duncan Anderson.

Guestline recently surveyed 2,000 citizens² about their concerns on all processes being managed through artificial intelligence rather than by reception staff. 

The results revealed that more than half (60%) are concerned about how human interaction being replaced with artificial intelligence will alter their hotel experience and requests.

References

1. https://hospitalitytech.com/2019-lodging-technology-study-hotels-gear-age-augmented-authenticity
2. Guestline survey was conducted in 2019 within the UK, if you would like to see the raw data results, please request them.

For more information our experts please click the 'meet the experts' button on the interactive asset: https://www.guestline.com/hotels-of-the-future/

Meet the Experts:

• CEO & Co-fouder, Duncan Anderston: Humanize (AI Technology)
• Owner & Director, Olivia Byrne: Eccleston Square Hotel, London
• Co-founder & Director, Jo Littlefair: Goddard Littlefair (Hotel Interior Design)
• Senior Managing Director: Strategy, Digital & Operations, Ralph Fernando: Pragma (Digital Operations)
• Operations Director, Gavin Bailey: City Suites (Serviced Apartments)
• Product Marketing Manager, Sara Canatario: Guestline (Hospitality Technology Software)